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Former Super Eagles defence trojan, Taribo West has rated former Nigeria international, Augustine Jay-jay Okocha a better midfield maestro than Frenchman, Zinedine Zidane.
Taribo told brila.net that in his playing career, only three players fascinated him and the three players remain, Ronaldo da Lima of Brazil, George Weah of Liberia and Nigeria’s jay-Jay Okocha.
Taribo, who played for Inter Milan and AC Milan was however quick to state that Okocha had a very rare gift as a footballer and was more talented than former world player of the year, Zinedine Zidane.
“Jay Jay was highly underestimated and I don’t think he deserves as much accolades as he deserves. We dont value our own at all, this is a case of a prophet has no honour in his own country.
In fact in my time of active football nobody came close to Ronaldo de lima, George Weah and Jay Jay Okocha. He was magical when he played and it was mesmerising what he could do with the football.
People talk about good Zidane was in his days as a player but Jay Jay was a much better player and a natural.”
Taribo West was capped 42 by Nigeria between 1994 and 2005, where he played at the 1998 and 2002 world cup tournaments.
